Ogljesby etal
trench digging machines



N. P. OGLESBY ETAL Re. 25,806

TRENCH DIGGING MACHINES June 22, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original FiledMay. 22, 1956 MZII- h\ n Nu INVENTOR5 Zeajy Jpz/z. c/7: Fafiezzf.Fowl/res June 22, 1965 N. P. OGLESBY ETAL 25,806

TRENCH DIGGING' MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 22, 1956mvsmons /V f 0 Zea 4. 15 0/ lwae/ff Fowl/res.

United States Patent 25,806 TRENCH DIGGING MACHINES Nicholas P. Oglesby,906 Chalfonte Drive, Alexandria, Va., and Henderson Lee Turpin, IL, andRobert E. Fowlkes, both Wythe County Motors, Inc., Wytheville, Va.

Original No. 3,039,208, dated June 19, 1962, Ser. No. 586,581, May 22,1956. Application for reissue June 19, 1964, Ser. No. 388,028

11 Claims. (Cl. 37-81) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a trench digging machine.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a trench diggingmachine embodying a digging head adapted to be drawn through the groundby means of a tractor and a primary feature of the invention is theprovision of relatively simple means operatively connecting the saidhead with the tractor and having provision for moving the head in alongitudinal vertical plane and also laterally to positions at angles tosaid plane.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a trench diggingmachine which is readily mountable on a standard commercially availablerubber-tired tractor.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a trenchdigging machine including a tractor controlled digging head including aframe and a pair of laterally disposed digger augers rotatably supportedthereby, together with provision for lateral discharge of the dugmaterial to either side of the trench under conditions of variable depthtrenches.

A still further feature of the invention is sturdy bearing means in theframe for rotatably supporting the upper and lower ends of the diggingaugers, and wherein the lower bearing means functions to clean thebottom of the trench.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of simple anddependable tractor operated drive means for imparting opposite directionrotation to the augers.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of improvedcutting members disposed adjacent the edges of the auger flights andwhich embody cutting wheels rotatably supported on the flights and whichin operation move bodily with the flights and simultaneously therewithrotate about their axes.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the improved trenching machine inaccordance with a preferred structural embodiment thereof and whereinsame is shown in operative connection with the rear end of a tractor.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the digging head per se with thetransmission gear box being shown in longitudinal vertical section. I

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the digging head per se with thetransmission gear box being shown in transverse vertical section.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the bottom support bearing plate andtrench cleaner.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the auger supporting frame with theaugers supported therein.

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevational view of the digging head per se.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmental edge view of an anger flight together with oneform of earth cutting wheel rotatably supported thereon.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 7.

Re. 25,806 Reissued June 22, 1965 FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of thepair of augers involved in the construction showing one of the earthcutting wheels of FIGS. 7 and 8 mounted on the flight of one thereof.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmental plan view of an anger flight together with asecond form of earth cutting wheel rotatably supported thereon.

FIGURE 11 is a transverse sectional view as observed in the plane ofline 1111 on FIG. 10.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmcntal edge view of the auger flight with the earthcutting wheel shown in elevation, the view being observed in the planeof line 1212.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the trench digging head will beseen to comprise a frame 10 having a unitary gear transmission box 11 atthe upper end thereof. The invention comprises novel means forconnecting the frame 10 to a standard tractor T whereby the frame is notonly subjected to power draft but is also capable of progressivedownward movement in the digging of a trench and to be power elevated toan inoperative position.

Such means in a preferred structural embodiment thereof comprises aframe rigid with the upper end of the digging head frame 10 and whichpreferably includes a bar 12 rigidly secured to each side of the gearbox 11 and to the inwardly projecting ends of which are secured thelower ends of a pair of upwardly converging bars 13. The upper ends ofthe bars 13 are rigidly connected to the frame 10 by means of a bar 14.

The frame 12 to 14 has a parallelogram pivotal connection with thetractor T and for which purpose the rear ends of a pair of rods 15 arepivotally connected to the bars 12, 13 at the junctions thereof asindicated at 16 and the forward ends of such rods are pivotallyconnected as at 17 to brackets 18.

A rod 19 is pivotally connected at its rear end at 20 to the upper endsof bars 13 and the forward end of such rod is pivotally connected as at21 to a bracket 22. The brackets 18 and 22 fit standard tractor mountingfacilities.

The rod 19 includes a tubular section 23 and a telescoping section 24whereby the rod 19 is lengthwise adjustable for varying the angle of thedigging augers as will later appear and means 25 is provided for lockingthe rod sections 23, 24 in any desired adjusted positions.

The rods 15 are each engaged intermediate their ends by a bracket 26over which extends a reinforcing member 27. The brackets 26 projectbelow the rods 15 and are pivotally connected as at 28 to the rear endsof lever arms 29 whose forward ends are pivotally connected to thetractor T as indicated at 30. Lever arms 31 have corresponding endsthereof pivotally connected to the lever arms 29 as at 32 and have theiropposite ends pivotally connected as at 33 to standard tractor elevatingmeans 34.

A drive shaft 35 has a universal connection 36 at the inner end thereofwith the power take-off of the tractor and which at the outer endthereof has a universal connection as at 37 with a stub shaft 38rotatably mounted in bearings 39 on the gear box 11. The inner end ofthe stub shaft 38 is provided with a pinion 40 for a purpose laterreferred to.

The above referred to digging head frame 10 comprises a dirt shield 41which as indicated more particularly in FIG. 5 comprises a pair ofunitary sections 42 which are of concavo-convex form and whosecurvatures are in arcs having centers in the axes of a pair of augers43. The pitch of the augers is such as to move dry earth, that is earthin natural condition. It will be obvious that the present invention doesnot involve the use of the center bore of any shaft. The frame 10further includes a vertical web 44 projecting from the convex face ofeach shield section 42 with the two webs parallel and normal to atangent of the said sections at the bases of the said webs 25,soe

and the said webs at their outer edges are provided with symmetricalflanges 45. Further the said shield sections 42 are each provided with adirt shield support 46 adjacent the outer edge thereof. As is indicatedin FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 the gear housing 11 is disposed at the upper end ofcasing and to which the upper end portions of webs 44 and flanges 45arerigidly secured. A bottom support bearing plate and trench cleaner 47 isdisposed at the lower end of frame 10 and as indicated in FIG. 4 sameincludes a pair of sockets 48 for the reception of bearings for thelower ends of the auger shafts 43'. The augers 43 are disposed inconcentric relation to the shield sections 42 as indicated in FIG. 5 andwith the shafts 43 thereof rotatably journalled at their lower ends inplate 47. The upper ends of the shafts are reduced as indicated at 43and extended vertically through the gear box 11 as indicated in FIGS. 2and 3.

The augers 43 are rotated in opposite directions and for this purpose aspur gear 49 is secured to each reduced shaft portions 43 within thegear box 11 and the gears are in constant mesh as indicated in FIG. 3.The upper ends of the shaft portions 43 are journalled in taper rollerbearings 50 and the said shaft portions are also journalled in taperroller bearings 50 in the base of the gear box. One of the shaftportions 43 is provided with a ring gear 51 with which said drivingpinion 40 is in constant mesh whereby upon rotation of drive shaft 35the two augers 43 will be rotated in opposite directions.

The frame 10 is provided with a pair of angle-wing moldboards 52 forlaterally deflecting the dug material from the top of a trench being dugand the moldboards are preferably vertically adjustable for variation ofthe depth of a trench being dug. Suitable means for such purpose may bethe provision of brackets 53 on the inner edges of the moldboards andwhich are slidable along the edges of the shield 41 and adjusting arms54 supported by the moldboards as indicated in FIG. 6 and having anadjustable sliding engagement 55 With the frame flanges 45.

Theflights of the two angers 43 have a substantial overlap as indicatedin FIG. 5 and in order to provide for a maximum soil cutting efliciencyof the augers the flights thereof are provided with spaced soil cuttingmembers indicated generally at in FIG. 3 and which in practice extendthroughout the digging edge of each flight in regular relatively closelyspaced relation. A satisfactory form of cutting member is illustrated inFIGS. 7, 8 and 9 and which embodies a peripherally toothed Wheel 61whose teeth 62 are of triangular form with resulting sharp cutting ends.The wheel 61 is disposed within a recess 63 in the edge of the augerflight 43 and the wall of the recess is preferably concentric with theaxis of the wheel as is clearly indicated in FIG. 8; The cutting wheel61 is rotatably suported within said recess with a substantial segmentof the wheel projecting beyond the edge of the flight by means of a pairof brackets 64 suitably rigidly secured to opposite sides of the flightand having axially aligned apertures 65 therein in which opposite endsof a stub shaft 66 rigid with the wheel are rotatably supported.

A modified form of cutting member is illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12wherein the cutting wheel 67 is mounted on one face of the auger flightrather than in the plane of the edge thereof as in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. Thecutting wheel 67 is mounted on one side of the auger flight 43 bymeansof a pivot bolt 68 extending through an aperture 69 centrally of thewheel and also through the flight 43 and a wear plate 70 is disposedbetween the wheel' 67 and the flight 43. The wheel 67 is provided withan outwardly bevelled inner portion 71 and a plurality of cutting teeth72 which are formed both on the periphery of the Wheel and a sidethereof opposite the bevelled portion 71. The teeth 72 have outer faces73 which are in planes substantially parallel to the bevelled portion71, outer peripheral faces 74 which are normal to the flight 43, andopposite side faces 75 which diverge from said outer faces 73 to valleylines '76 which extend downwardly and outwardly from the plane of thetop central portion 77 to the junction of bevelled portion 71 and theperipheral faces 74.

It will be observed that the cutting wheels 67 of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12are adapted for a cutting action predominantly on the upper side of thecutter and for lateral movement of the auger. The trench digging machineof this invention is especially capable of serving to cut a trench andthus with lateral movement of the auger is contrasted to the digging ofholes or wells which require primarily a vertical movement of thecutting elements. It will also be observed that the cutting members ofthis machine are mounted on a spiral surface on the flight of an augerand that each cutting wheel is mounted With an acute angle to thehorizontal axis.

As is indicated by the arrows on FIG. 5, the right hand auger 43 rotatescounter-clockwise while the left hand auger 43 rotates clockwise.Furthermore, as is indicated in FIG. 3, the right hand auger 43 has aleft hand spiral flight while the left hand auger 43 has a right handspiral flight.

While as previously stated, the auger flights have a substantialoverlap, such overlap according to the invention is approximately onefifth of the diameter of the augers whereby a relatively large openingis provided between the augers for the discharge of rocks and debristhrough the auger flights.

It is to be particularly noted that the rods 15 and 19 are substantiallyparallel whereby the frame 12 to 14 has a parallelogram pivotalconnection with the tractor T which provides for raising and lowering ofthe augers without changing the angles thereof.

Having set forth the construction of the improved trench diggingmachine, the operation thereof is as follows:

he hydraulically controlled lever arms 34 on the tractor are releasedwith a resulting downward gravitation of the digging head including theframe 10 and augers 43 to a ground engaging position and therewith thedrive shaft 35 is set into rotation by the power take-off of thetractor. With the said head in ground engaging position it is under itsown weight and in order to provide for a more effective diggingoperation the head is initially disposed at an angle to the vertical asindicated in FIG. 1 and the angle may be readily varied throughadjustment of the telescoping frame sections 23 and 24. The pair oflaterally disposed augers 43 rotate in opposite directions wherebylateral lead-off is avoided and upon rotation of the augers 43 thecutting wheels 61 or 67 will, through their bodily movements andindividual rotation about their axes effect a rapid cutting operationand the loosened material will be conveyed upwardly by the spiralflights of the angers and such material will be confined to theadvancing sides of the augers by means of the shield 41. The upwardlyconveyed material will be laterally deflected by the curved moldboards52 which ride along the top of the trench after the portions of theaugers below the moldboards have penetrated the ground. The position ofthe moldboards up or down may be readily varied through adjustment ofthe means 53, 54, 55. Since the flights of the two augers overlap orintermcsh the angers will be self cleaning and as the augers advance inthe trench digging operation, the lower bearing plate 47 will clean thebottom of the trench.

In the event it is desired to dig a vertical trench in ground having aninclined surface on which the tractor T must travel, the digging headsupporting frame 12, 13 and 14 may be adjusted about the axis of rod 19by proper adjustment of the support rods 31 whereby one rod will bemoved a different vertical distance than the other rod 15 with aresulting disposition of the cutting head in a vertical plane. Thisfreedom of adjustment is possible by reason of the customary looseconnections between such parts as 15, 13, 24, 20, 16, 21 and 28, and thetractor actuating lever 34.

Extra support for the brackets 26 and their associated connections isprovided by a chain 80, one end of which is detachably connected to ahook 81 mounted on the bracket 22 and the opposite end of which chain isdetachably connected to a link 82 welded to the bracket 26. When themachine is not in use and the digging machine is removed from thetractor the chain 80 is disconnected from the link 81 and that end ofthe chain is connected to the digging equipment by hooking the chain toa stud 83 mounted on the dirt shield support 46.

We claim:

1. A trench digging machine, comprising a generally vertically disposedframe, a gear box rigidly supported by the upper end of said frame andhaving a pair of intermeshed spur gears disposed in the bottom thereof,a pair of digging augers depending from said gear box and having theirrespective shafts extending through the gear box and being secured tothe respective spur gears, a shield depending from the gear box andincluding unitary concavo-convex sections in coaxial relation to saidauger shafts, a bearing plate at the lower end of said shield in whichthe lower ends of said auger shafts are rotatably mounted, a pair ofspaced parallel webs projecting from the convex sides of said shieldsections each of which is provided with a terminal flange projectingfrom each side thereof, and said webs, and said flanges extendingrearwardly of said gear box and to the top thereof.

2. The structure according to claim 1, together with a ring gear securedto one of said auger shafts within said gear box, a stub shaft rotatablysupported on said gear box and having a bevelled pinion in constant meshwith said ring gear, and a drive shaft having one end thereofuniversally connected to said stub shaft, the opposite end of the driveshaft adapted for connection with a tractor.

3. A trench digging machine comprising a generally vertically disposedframe comprising a dirt shield including a pair of unitary sections ofconcavo-convex form, a gear box rigidly supported by the frame at theupper ends of said sections, a vertical web projecting from the convexface of each of said sections, the said webs being parallel and normalto a tangent of said sections at the bases of the webs, said webs beingprovided wih flanges at their outer edges, said flanges each beingprovided with a mold board support, a pair of augers disposed withinsaid sections in concentric relation to the concave sides thereof, oneof said augers having a left hand spiral flight and the other augerhaving a right hand spiral flight, and drive means for said augersincluding gears in said gear box for imparting counter-clockwiserotation to said one of said augers and clockwise rotation to said otherauger.

4. A trench digging machine, comprising a gear box having a pair ofinterrneshed spur gears disposed in the bottom thereof, a pair ofdigging augers depending from said gear box and having their respectiveshafts extending through the gear box and being secured to therespective spur gears, a shield depending from the gear box andincluding unitary concavo-convex sections in coaxial relation to saidauger shafts, a bearing plate at the lower end of said shield in whichthe lower ends of said auger shafts are rotatably mounted, a pair ofspaced parallel webs projecting from the convex sides of said shieldsections each of of which is provided with a terminal flange projectingfrom each side thereof, said webs, and said flanges extending rearwardlyof said gear box and to the top thereof, and a pair of dug materialdeflecting mold boards adjustably supported on said flanges.

5. A trench digging machine comprising an elongated frame having upperand lower ends, an auger having a central shaft portion and a singlespiral flight adapted to move earth in dry condition and opposite endsthereof rotatably journalled in said upper and lower ends of the frame,a plurality of cutting members rotatably supported on the upper spiralsurface of the flight of the auger immediately adjacent the cutting edgethereof and distant from the axis edge of the flight of said augerwhereby the major area of the surface of the flight is unobstructed andpassage of soil upwardly is not blocked, said members each comprising atoothed wheel mounted with an acute angle to the horizontal axis and forrotation on a pivot pin carried by the flight of said auger andextending through said flight and a wear plate disposed between saidwheel and said flight and through which said pivot pin extends, saidcutting members being adapted for a cutting action predominantly on theupper side of the cutter and for lateral movement of the auger.

6. A trench digging machine comprising an elongated frame having upperand lower ends, an auger having a central shaft portion and a singlespiral flight adapted to move earth in dry condition and opposite endsthereof rotatably journalled in said upper and lower ends of the frame,a plurality of cutting members rotatably supported on the upper spiralsurface of the flight of the auger immediately adjacent the cutting edgethereof and distant from the axis edge of the flight of said augerwhereby the major area of the surface of the flight is unobstructed andpassage of soil upwardly is not blocked, said members each comprising atoothed wheel disposed in parallel relation to the flight and with anacute angle to the horizontal, a pivot pin for each cutting membermounted on the flight of said auger and adjacent to the cutting edgethereof and extending through said flight, means to secure said pivotpins to said flight, each of said cutting members being mounted forrotation on its respective pivot pin and a wear plate disposed betweensaid wheel and said flight and through which said pivot pin extends.

7. A trench digging machine comprising a generally vertically disposeddigging head including a frame and a pair of cooperating augersrotatably supported thereby for rotation about spaced parallel axes, asecond frame rigidly supported by said first frame and including a pairof upwardly converging bars, a pair of laterally opposed rods havingtheir rear ends pivotally connected to said second frame adjacent thelower ends of said bars and the forward ends of said rods being adaptedfor connection with a tractor, a further rod generally parallel withsaid pair of rods having its rear end pivotally connected to the upperends of said bars, the opposite end of said last rod being adapted forpivotal connection with said tractor, a bracket secured to each of saidpair of rods intermediate the ends thereof, each of said brackets havinga pivotal connection with one end of a lever arm whose opposite end isadapted for pivotal connection with a tractor, a second lever arm havingone end thereof pivotally connected to each of said first lever armsintermediate the ends thereof, and the opposite ends of said secondlever arms adapted for pivotal connection with elevating means on saidtractor, whereby upon differential movement of said elevating means, oneof said pair of rods will be moved vertically a greater distance thanthe other rod with a resulting transverse adjustment of the digging headabout the axis of said further rod.

8. The structure according to claim 7 together with a gear box rigidlysupported by the upper end of said first frame, said second frameincluding a bar rigidly supported by said gear box at each side thereof,and to whose corresponding ends the lower ends of said upwardlyconverging bars are secured.

9. A trench digging machine comprising an elongated frame having upperand lower ends, an auger having a central shaft portion and a spiralflight adapted to move earth in dry condition and opposite ends thereofrotatably journalled in said upper and lower ends of the frame, aplurality of cutting members rotatably supported on the upper spiralsurface of the flight of the auger immediately adjacent the cutting edgethereof and distant from the axis edge of the flight of said augerwhereby the major area of the surface of the flight is unobstructed andpassage of soil upwardly is not blocked, said members each comprising atoothed wheel mounted with an acute angle to the horizontal axis and forrotation with respect to the flight of said auger, said cutting membersbeing adapted for a cutting action predominantly on the upper side ofthe cutter and for lateral movement of the auger.

10. A trench digging machine comprising an elongated frame having upperand lower ends, an auger having a central shaft portion and a spiralflight adapted to move earth in: dry condition and opposite ends thereofrotatably journalled in said upper and lower ends of the frame, aplurality of cutting members rotatably supported on the upper spiralsurface of the flight of the auger immediately adjacent the cutting edgethereof and distant from the axis edge of the flight of said augerwhereby the major area of the surface of the flight is unobstructed andpassage of soil upwardly is not blocked, said members each comprising atoothed wheel disposed inparallel relation to the flight and 'with anacute angle to the horizontal, means carried by said flight for therotatable mounting of said cutting members.

11. In a trench digging machine adapted to move earth in a drycondition, including an auger having an axial shaft portion and asubstantially helical flight carried thereby, and means for rotating theauger about the axis of such shaft and for simultaneously moving theauger laterally, the improvement which comprises a plurality of cuttingmembers rotatably supported upon the upper helical surface of the flightof the auger immediately adjacent the cutting edge thereof and distantfrom the shaft portionv, whereby the major area of the surface of theflight is unobstructed and passage of soil upwardly is not blocked, eachof said cutting members comprising a toothed wheel mounted forindependent rotation about an: individual axis substantiallyperpendicular to the ad jacent surface of the flight, the helix angle ofthe flight being low enough so that the flight surfaces lie at an acuteangle to the horizontal when the shaft axis is vertical, said cuttingmembers being adapted for cutting action predominantly on their uppersides and being rotatable about their individual axes when engaged withearth during lateral movement of the auger.

References Cited by the Examiner The following references, cited by theExaminer, are of record in the patented file of this patent or theoriginal patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,096,875 10/37 Bertovich. 2,184,108 12/39Akeyson. 2,360,334 10/44 Engel et al. 2,490,698 12/ 49 McClenny.2,545,016 3/51 Berry. 2,598,350 5/52 Carroll. 2,657,916 11/53 Von Stroh.2,772,491 12/56 Stansbury.

FOREEGN PATENTS 17,094 10/91 Great Britain. 491,649 3/ 53 Canada.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiner.

